One thing you can be sure of when reading a book by A.L. Sowards – you will come away having learned a lot about a time period different from your ownOne thing you can be sure of when reading a book by A.L. Sowards – you will come away having learned a lot about a time period different from your own. Of Sword and Shadow is no exception to this rule. I have always been interested in the history of early Greece, but until I started thinking about reading this book, I don’t think I had ever considered the medieval history of the country at all. In reading about England during this time period I knew about “serfs” but perhaps hadn’t thought of them explicitly as “slaves”. The main character and story teller of this book set in 1379 Thebes is indeed a slave.
Of particular impact to me while reading this story, was that a person who was a slave might not even have a name other than “girl” or maybe “mouse”. They might know nothing about their background and have no choice whatsoever about the activities they must perform even if they involve theft or fraud. If they chose not to obey or failed in a command – punishment of some type was bound to follow, perhaps even being sold to a slave master who will use her in a brothel. It is hard to imagine how an individual could ever develop a healthy level of self-esteem under such circumstances or how they could live without hope of freedom at some point in the future.
Our nameless slave is forced to take on many different names and characters throughout the novel. In doing so she learns new skills and meets new people and yet her natural intelligence and the “skills” that her owner Thomas raised her to have, make her the perfect person to have around in many dangerous circumstances. As the novel begins she is supposed to steal the seal of an important Greek personage. Through no fault of her own, she fails, but in failing she meets a man named Gillen who sees her as a person and gives her hope that maybe one day she will be able to buy her freedom and perhaps become an apprentice to a silk maker. He gives her some money that is intended to be just for her, and yet slaves own nothing. Anything that is given to them is automatically the property of their master.
We hear the story through the voice of this slave girl and it is the kind of story that just grabs you and pulls you in to go along for the ride. I learned a whole new vocabulary and was thankful that Soward put in a handy glossary to help me master all the new words and a map too! Thebes was in a time of political upheaval. In a way it reminded me of modern history. Many people were unhappy with their current living circumstances and as a result, plots were underway to try and change leadership. These were the actions that our slave girl was drawn into. Her life and the lives of those she worked with were often at high risk. The book includes a description of torture.
This is also a story of faith. When or slave girl first met the Gillen, the man who gave her hope, she didn’t know that she would meet him again and again – even having a chance to work with him. She learned his story, about the trials he had faced and how in surviving them he had made a promise to God, a promise that ultimately affected her and led her to make a promise of her own. This is not a book that screams religion at you, but the strength of the lives led by certain characters have an impact that is lifechanging for one young slave. It is a story of how she discovers who she is and what she wants her name to be. I loved it and if you like a book that includes action, adventure, love and a good ending all set in a fascinating time period, then I think you will enjoy this book too.
I’m very grateful to the author and to #NetGalley and Covenant Communications for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. All the opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. ...more
Many thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this novel. What follows is my honest review.
This book is the third novel in the WMany thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this novel. What follows is my honest review.
This book is the third novel in the Wren Jane Beacon series set in England during the Second World War. While it can be read on its own, it will mean more to the reader if read in sequence with the other two books – Wren Jane Beacon Goes to War and Wren Jane Beacon at War.
In the first two books. Jane Beacon had broken down many barriers for women in what was typically a very masculine field of service. Her natural love of being on the water made learning how to work on the boats along the coast of England an excellent fit for her and her willingness to stand up for herself served her in very good stead.
The third book in the saga is a little different than the first two in that Jane is moved from her comfort zone on the coast to work on the River Thames as part of the Royal Navy Auxiliary Patrol during the time of the London Blitz. Before reading this book I knew next to nothing about the work of this particular group and it was quite fascinating to learn more about this aspect of service during the war. D J Lindsay has done his usual excellent job of researching the field he is writing about and it shows in the telling of the story.
After Jane has spent some time in training under supervision as she learns about work on the Thames. Jane and several of her female cohorts are assigned to work together on the river and it is a true learning experience for all of them including Jane. Although she is comfortable on the water, it quickly becomes evident that she has much to learn about what it means to be in charge of a crew and all the mundane things that go along with that. She makes mistakes along the way but is open to learning and the women of her team have a respect for each other that lets them move past minor issues and continue to be a cohesive unit.
All of the women who work together are aware that what they are doing on a day to day basis will influence what will happen for other women who wish to follow in their footsteps. Their aim is to “do their work properly and well and get on with it regardless”. The work was not always easy and conditions could include working while air warfare took place overhead. Returning readers will be pleased to find that familiar characters such as Punch and others return as part of the crew of the boat Kittiwake which the Wrens are responsible for running.
Being a novel set during wartime, there is also loss that the women face. Jane has one particularly difficult loss that triggers her PTSD and leaves a lasting impact on her.
In book 2 Jane had fallen in love with a naval officer, David, the youngest son of a marquis, that she had rescued at Dunkirk. In this book their relationship continues to grow though often from a distance. It is not with out issues as neither family totally approves of the match however an engagement does take place. Her fiancé’s brother Arthur (a rather lecherous fellow) is involved in “secret” work and approaches the women of the Kittiwake to do some undercover work on his behalf to try and find out why dead bodies keep turning up in the local waters. This work is not without risk and provides some real excitement through out the book as the women end up serving as “bait”. Their efforts lead to Jane receiving shrapnel injuries and finding herself once again in a hospital bed and pondering where her future will take her. Marriage is clearly in her future but she is determined that it will not stop her from fulfilling her destiny.
This was a book that definitely held my attention and kept me reading. The author, as usual, also included a lengthy bibliography for those who wish to dig deeper into the subject matter. I look forward to hearing more of Wren Jane Beacon’s experiences down the road and in the meantime heartily recommend the series and this book to those who like a good WW2 yarn filled with historical detail.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and Covenant Communications for providing an ARC of the book The Redgrave Murders. What follows is my honest opinion.
I was vMany thanks to #NetGalley and Covenant Communications for providing an ARC of the book The Redgrave Murders. What follows is my honest opinion.
I was very pleased to be able to read a copy of this book prior to it’s upcoming publication on July 1st. I have read and enjoyed several other books that A.L. Sowards has written. Most have focused on the World War 2 era but this novel is a little different because it takes place in the years shortly after the end of the war, but for those who like wartime novels, rest assured that the author’s knowledge and experience with this time period is an integral part of this story too.
Sowards has actually taken on several subjects within this novel that are important for readers to know about and consider because they are still timely in our own time period. One of the main characters in the book, Gary Redhawk is a man of Seneca origin who spent many of his formative years in a residential school where he was abused and pressured to fit into an identity that really wasn’t his. Gary was also a soldier who fought in the war including the Battle of the Bulge, and as the story unfolds, the reader learns about some of the horrors that he faced and still has great difficulty talking about, including time spent as a prisoner of war. All of those experiences had a huge impact on him and led to what we would now diagnose as a classic case of P.T.S.D. In that time period though it was referred to as having psychoneurotic episodes.
The main character of the book is Evie, a rather naïve young woman who works in the bursar’s office of the local university. Her voice is the main voice we hear as readers, both as she tells what is happening and also through snippets of letters that she and her brother wrote to each other throughout the war. I felt that as the story progressed she grew as an individual and really exhibited great strength of character. When the story began, Evie had been dating Gary for quite some time and was hoping that their relationship would eventually lead to marriage. This was at a time when in some states, inter-racial marriages were illegal. Many of the people around her still held the view that she should not continue her relationship with Gary and at times she herself wondered if their love could last in the face of so many obstacles. The author chose not to use a sexual relationship to further the story although some of the secondary characters reacted just the way one would expect a nosy gossip to react, spreading rumours about something that wasn’t actually happening.
The story is set in the fictional town of Maplewick but some of the places and events described in the novel were based on actual places and events that occurred and Sowards provides information on them in her afterword.
This book does contain a murder mystery. More than one individual who is close to Evie ends up dying and at times she wonders if the murderer is after her or after Gary. When Gary is initially arrested as a murder suspect, Evie sets out to prove his innocence and manages to do just that though not in time to prevent Gary from undergoing some major emotional trauma. I had some thoughts initially as to who I thought the murderer might be, but I wasn’t really sure who it was until close to the climax of the story.
If you like a good murder mystery that includes lots of history about the time period, then I think you will enjoy reading this book. I highly recommend it for teens or adults. ...more
Many thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book on a Friday afternMany thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book on a Friday afternoon and by Saturday evening I had finished reading it. It was the kind of book that is difficult to put down so I just kept on reading until this first volume in what is hoped to be a 12 book series was done and I was eager to read more of the story of Wren Jane Beacon.
Throughout Western history women have tended to take on background roles when it comes to war. This began to change somewhat during the Great War when the women left at home had to take on the jobs that men had left to go to battle. Some twenty years later as war was beginning once again, women began to search out for ways in which they could more actively “do their bit for the cause”. This novel, although fictional, was inspired by the stories of many such women who signed on the become members of the WRNS (Women’s Royal Navy Services).
The heroine of the story is Jane Beacon, a young woman who might be called a tomboy by some but who truly loves boats and being out on the water and who has no immediate interest in the life her mother has planned out for her which includes marriage and children. With war looming on the horizon, Jane has a slim hope that there may be a way she can continue working on boats in some way. With the help of her courtesy uncle, Jane signs on as a member of the WRNS or Wrens and becomes part of an experiment to see if women can actually work with men in active combat. Needless to say, this is not readily accepted by all – especially the men involved.
Jane’s story is told in part in a retrospective way. Jane has been ordered by her superiors to co-operate with a journalist who wishes to interview her about her wartime experiences. It is clear from a physical description of Jane that she has not come through battle without scars. She is reluctant to talk about her life but given time and gentle persuasion, the reader begins to hear where her story first began.
Before chapter one is even done Jane has defied orders and is on her way AWOL to see how she can be of assistance on the beaches of Dunkirk. The descriptions of her experiences there were graphic and horrifying and very realistic. I thought it would be hard to beat that part of her story but each chapter helped me better understand just exactly who Wren Jane Beacon was and how determined she was to succeed in spite of many obstacles thrown in her way.
Although quite naïve at the onset of her story, Jane is faced with sexual harassment even as she rescues soldiers from what is likely to be death or imprisonment. She gradually learns more about what it means to be a woman and becomes intimately involved with someone without realizing that everyone is watching her and waiting to see what she is doing or not doing. Although she quickly forms a camaraderie with her fellow workers, she is pulled between her more upper-class background and the down to earth reality of the men she spends each day with. As a reader I was quite shocked with some of the things that Jane had to deal with including quite graphic sexual assault that I know I would have had extreme difficulty dealing with.
Jane seemed to have a real ability to get herself into hot water and women of lesser mettle would have packed their bags and left the scene very quickly. I am reminded of a line which has become common in North America in recent times and which fits Wren Jane Beacon to a T. “Nevertheless she persisted”.
The author has clearly done his research and the book includes a lengthy bibliography. He also writes of the sea from his own experiences at sea and this gives a real authenticity to his descriptions. I think he has a winner here and look forward to reading more of the experiences of Wren Jane Beacon in the future. The next two books in the series are already in print with number four due sometime this coming year. If you like books about the sea, wartime history and strong women you should enjoy this series. My one piece of advice to those considering reading the paperback copy is that the print is quite small. I found a bright light was extremely helpful in letting me read it so quickly. ...more
Many thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Wren Jane Beacon at War is the second Many thanks to author DJ Lindsay for sending me a paperback copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Wren Jane Beacon at War is the second book in a series that could potentially end up with twelve volumes. Three are currently in print and book four is in progress. Volume two takes up right where the first book -Wren Jane Beacon Goes to War – left off.
The prologue begins in 1944, with a journalist continuing to interview Jane about all the things she has experienced since becoming a Wren. She had made it home from the beaches of Dunkirk, wounded and forever changed but still strong. When questioned she said, “It was certainly a life-changing experience and whatever fear of dying I had went then. I was never a carefree kid again that is for sure, but even so I had the resilience of youth, so the toughening up I got didn’t stop me from wanting to dance or have a good time. It is awfully easy to get warped by something like that and I have seen veterans who never really got over it or enjoyed life again. But three things stopped me getting too case hardened and miserable: one, the war went on and I had my place in it as a pioneer boat Wren, a huge and exciting challenge. Two, no rough experience can take away the sheer joy of being in a boat, out on the water, at dawn. You can’t help feeling deeply conscious of our endless capacity to rise again like the sun and that really is life affirming. Thirdly, I fell in love and for awhile felt utterly invincible.”
The above sentences really capture the spirit of Jane Beacon. The rest of the book helps fill out the gaps in how she not only survived but overcame struggles like PTSD (though it wasn’t known as that at the time.) and an uncanny knack for finding herself in hot water.
Chapter one finds Jane in the hospital in Dover recovering well physically but struggling with visions of all the things she saw in her time at Dunkirk. Talking to a psychiatrist helps and so does the distraction of daily conversations with her doctor which seem to be developing into very strong feelings of affection on both of their parts. This comes to an end when he realizes that Jane is not the virgin he expected her to be.
As the book continues, the reader learns more of what Jane’s life was like when she began working at Dover and before she went AWOL to Dunkirk. Marked by her experiences in the first book, Jane determines to avoid emotional entanglements with males and do her best to avoid being part of the gossip mill. She can’t, however, sit around and do nothing when she knows that her skills could be used to save soldiers who are under fire. On her return and as she recovers, she knows that there is still a day of reckoning to be had that might end with her dismissal from the Wrens.
As her health improves, Jane is sent home to rest and recuperate under the loving care of her doctor father and nurse mother. It is a time when she recognizes that she is no longer a child even though she would perhaps like to be one awhile longer. It was fascinating to learn a little more about her parents experiences in the Great War and how they influenced their response to the current situation their country was in.
When Jane returns to active service she has to stand up and account for her actions to the authorities. Thanks to some very positive reports from the army and even officers from France and Belgium, Jane is given a second chance (or is it a third… or fourth…). She is reassigned to Dover to work as a Cox’n on a small boat called a “skimmer” and even has the chutzpah to ask if she can choose who will work with her on the boat. She chooses Wren “Punch” Johnson whom she had met while doing her probationary wren course (see Volume 1). Together they make a strong team and enjoy their work which includes picking up pilots or sailors who have ended up in the channel. Most of these are British, but she also saves a Pole and even some German pilots who fail to get the best of them.
This novel provides a fascinating look at what life was like at the time. The author kindly provided a glossary at the back and I needed it as the book is full of expressions that may be common to someone who has served at sea but not to the ordinary reader. Even with a glossary I found myself looking up a few words!
The story also includes some romance and as the novel ends, Jane finds herself in love and even engaged to be married. It all happened so quickly that I am not sure a marriage will ever come to pass, but that is something I will have to read book three to find out!
This book was definitely a fun read though the subject matter is at times very serious. Someone told me after reading my review of the first book that it sounded like it would make a great Netflix series. I would have to agree and know that I would watch it if it ever came to pass. If you like historical fiction set in wartime England this series should be right up your alley. I highly recommend it. ...more
Many thanks to #NetGalley and @ariafiction for allowing me to read and review an advance readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I Many thanks to #NetGalley and @ariafiction for allowing me to read and review an advance readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have read and enjoyed a number of other books by Rosie Clarke but this was the first book that I've read in this series. As such I did find it a little confusing at first figuring out all the different characters and what their background stories were. I would recommend to other readers that it might be best to start with the first book in the series before starting this one.
The story focuses on the lives of three different women - Hetty, Georgie and Beth. All three are connected to each other at least peripherally. Hetty was rather a free spirit who wasn't bothered by the norms of society at the time. She had moved to Paris while young to be with a man but when the relationship ended had stayed there and established herself to the point where she felt Paris was more her home than England. As war loomed she delayed making a decision to return to safety in England until it was too late. In a desperate last minute effort to evacuate she was exposed to the realities of war and all it's horror and ultimately stayed to fight and do her bit for the resistance in France.
As the story begins Georgie loses her husband, an older man that she had married when the man she really loved married someone else. Georgie loved her husband but was never in love with him and discovers that in reality this was not enough for him leaving her with a burden of guilt. When she reconnects with her original love and begins a relationship with him (in spite of the fact he is still married) she also throws aside convention to be with him whenever she can. Her home is taken over for war purposes and she moves back to be closer to family and friends of the past. When her lover goes overseas in a secret capacity, she waits and worries and wonders what will happen to him. Then news arrives.
The last character is Beth, who was orphaned and basically raised by others who loved her and treated her as one of their own. She meets a young pilot, falls in love, marries and is quickly pregnant. She still wants to do her part in winning the war and works in London until her pregnancy makes it too difficult to continue. When word comes that her husband is missing and eventually declared dead she has choices to make.
The story of these women and how they became involved in war efforts was an interesting one but didn't grab me as much as some of the other books that I have read by Rosie Clark. Again, I wonder if it would be different if I had read the first two books and really felt like I had gotten to know the characters....more
Many thanks to #NetGalley and Harlequin-Graydon House for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
If I could give this book tenMany thanks to #NetGalley and Harlequin-Graydon House for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
If I could give this book ten stars I would gladly do so! It was that good and I enjoyed it that much. It would make an excellent book for a book club discussion and includes a reader guide to facilitate with that.
In her notes, Kelly Rimmer states that for her "the best fiction always contains threads of the personal." Her inspiration for this story began at a family party that took place some ten years before this book was written. As she and her family celebrated while eating traditional Polish foods it struck her that her now large family had begun with a single Polish Catholic couple who, displaced by war, had emigrated huge distances from their home and the world they knew to a country that was often "less than welcoming to refugees". Sadly, the author did not know too much about her grandparents story beyond the fact that "they had little time to reflect or grieve even once the war ended. Their focus was on the future, and the physical, emotional and psychological wounds of war were soon trapped beneath the surface of the new life they were forging. The lessons they learned along the way were often lost to time." Their story inspired her to learn more about what it would have been like for people like her grandparents and led to in-depth research including a trip to Poland where she actually viewed buildings that had meaning to those in her family.
As the author studied and researched what life was like for Polish citizens under Nazi occupation, she was "inspired by so many stories of love and survival, even in the face of unimaginable oppression and cruelty." Out of this inspiration came the story of Alina, Tomaz and Saul. Rimmer marveled that "not even the worst of humanity is powerful enough to stamp out grace, or hope or love."
As the story begins in 1942, young Alina is just outside a tent city of the Buzuluk refugee and military camp in the Soviet Union. All her life she has dreamed of her wedding day when she would make her vows of love to Tomaz Slaski, the boy she grew up with and always loved. Instead of her dream wedding she finds herself being married in terrible conditions while knowing that most of the people she loved were either dead, in a concentration camp or just lost. As I read I could feel her despair as she and her groom, both covered with lice, made their promises.
The story, however, is not just the story of Alina. It is also the story of her daughter and her grand-daughter Alice. Rimmer moves back and forth between the past and the present as she tells the story of this family. Alice has a son Eddie, whose life has been severely affected by autism. He communicates using a special tablet. She also has a daughter Pascale, who is brilliant. Her husband Wade is a wonderful father to Pascale, but has never really bonded with Eddie and doesn't really understand how important schedule and routine are in making Eddie's life a happy one. As I read about Alice's life with her children and the love and care she poured into caring for Eddie it brought back memories for me of my life growing up with a sister who was mentally handicapped. The experiences Rimmer described were gut-wrenching and reminded me of scenes from my own past and the knowledge of how my family was affected by the need to care for my sister. The tools and techniques Rimmer describes include some things that are still in use in my sisters care.
Alice's grandmother Hanna or Babcia as she calls her is one of the most important people in Alice's life and also in Eddie's life. As the modern part of the story begins, she is in hospital having suffered a minor stroke and Alice and Eddie are rushing to get to the hospital to spend as much time as they can with her. Babcia is 95 and Alice recognizes that her time is likely to be short. When they finally make it to the hospital, Alice's mother Julita Slaski-Davis is waiting impatiently and Babcia is unable to communicate verbally. Despite that, her love for her grandson is evident and heartwarming. While Alice gets a health update from the doctor, Eddie uses his tablet to "talk" with Babcia and Babcia manages to use it to reply. This discovery makes it possible for Babcia to communicate at least some of her wishes though not without some confusion. Ultimately it becomes clear that she wants Alice to make a trip to Poland on her behalf to find out things that Babcia did not know when she left her home. As the main caregiver for Eddie, this seems to be an almost impossible request but Alice finally, with her husbands support, (even though he has no clue what he is getting himself into) makes the decision to go to Poland.
And so their stories unfold moving seamlessly back and forth from past to present and back again. I have been lucky enough to visit Poland and visit Auschwitz and Terezin. As I read Alina's story and alongside the story of Tomaz and Saul (a young Jewish doctor), I felt as if I was there while it was happening. As I read Alice's story I was moved by her experiences and discoveries and by how her nuclear family adapted to her absence and overcame issues that had really been holding them back from being a united family.
This is a novel about love and respect and the strength it takes to survive some of the toughest things that life has to throw at you. It may not be for the faint of heart as some of the descriptions of things that happened during wartime are truly horrible but it is a book that needs to be read and remembered. I know I will be reading it again.
This book is more than a novel about war (although it certainly tells the story eloquently). First and foremost it is a story about family and I leave you with the final paragraph.
"Our family life is never going to be easy, but that can't stop any one of us from reaching for our dreams. It cost our ancestors too damned much for us to have this life - the best thing we can do to honor them is to live it to its fullest."...more
I was very privileged to be contacted by Tara Lynn Masih and asked if I would be interested in reading an uncorrected proof of her book and reviewing I was very privileged to be contacted by Tara Lynn Masih and asked if I would be interested in reading an uncorrected proof of her book and reviewing it. It is set in the years of World War 2 which is a period of great interest to me so I was happy to say yes and the opinions expressed in this review are my unbiased ones.
The book is set in Eastern Europe in an area that once was a part of Poland but which was taken over by the Russians shortly after the war began and eventually came under German control. I did a tour that included Poland this past fall so had some understanding of the history of the area before reading the story but the author does a good job of explaining it for those who might not be familiar with it.
I was reading another book when I received this and decided I would just have a quick peek at the first few pages. The author has received awards for other writing which she has done and the talent that helped her earn them was evident within those first few pages I had read. I was immediately hooked and had to finish reading this book before the other one I had been reading previously.
There is a quote from writer Isak Dineson at the beginning of the book. " All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them".
The main character of the story is a mother speaking to her children and explaining to them that the name they know her by is not her real name. She has hidden her real name from them in order to protect them. Her real name is Hanna Slivka. And so she tells them her story...
Around the time that war came to Hanna's world she was almost fourteen and living a happy life in her home town of Kwasova . As a young Jewish girl she was used to the occasional name calling sent her way in her shtetele and could count on her brother Symon to stand up for her. Over time as war arrives life becomes more complicated. Her father is well respected by Jews and Gentiles alike but gradually their freedoms are increasingly curtailed. They help refugees whoa re trying to escape from the authorities but it is unspoken as to speak of it could lead to severe consequences.
The author has the ability to craft a story in such a way that she paints pictures with her words. As I was reading I would occasionally read sentences out loud to my adult daughter as they were just so perfect and I could visualize the scenes being described and even imagine the smells. As Hanna tells her children her story she is reliving it in her mind as if it is happening right in front of her. "On the way to drop them off, I walk by gardens blooming with lavender lilacs hanging heavy on their stems and buzzing with many gathering bees. The lilacs also grow along roadsides, on the top side of drainage ditches. I breathe in heavily the whole way. Blue barn swallows soar in the air, catching insects. They follow the ploughs churning up the soil, chasing more food."
Hanna's story is not hers alone. It is the story of her family and of the people who helped them along the way. Interspersed in the story is information about the Jewish culture and traditions and also about the traditions of non-Jewish neighbours who believe that painted eggs called pysanki can help ward off evil. Throughout the book stories and folklore are a part of their life and a way of dealing with the horrors of the holocaust which surrounds them.
The time comes when Hanna and her family must leave Kwasova to live in a forest hut. Two families share one room and food is scarce. Conditions are hard and the arrival of winter makes them even more so. There is an illusion of safety when in the forest, but all too soon even that disappears and it becomes clear they must find somewhere else to hide. Hidden caves become their new home. How they live and manage to survive with less and less food and light makes for a riveting story. When the war finally ends they soon find that there is no home to go back to.
This book is described as being for young readers and I believe it fits into that genre very nicely and would make an excellent book for a school curriculum focusing on the Holocaust. Having said that, this book is also very suited to adults. Although almost all of the characters in the book are fictional, the novel was inspired by the real life story of the powerful matriarch Esther Stermer and her extended family along with four other families, who survived the war and invasion of the Wehrmacht by hiding in bunkers and later in underground caves. The depth of the authors research brings real life to the pages she has written.
In her final notes, the author writes: " I dream of a day when we will no longer need Holocaust stories to remind us to be kind to each other, and to be watchful of those who aren't." This book is a good start on bringing that day closer. Please read it....more
I recently saw that the publisher was looking for reviewers for this book and as I have a strong interest in World War 2 history, I requested a copy iI recently saw that the publisher was looking for reviewers for this book and as I have a strong interest in World War 2 history, I requested a copy in exchange for providing an honest review. I received a PDF version of it shortly after hearing of the recent riots in Charlottesburg and after seeing videos of the events which took place there. That experience definitely impacted my initial reactions to this story. Although the author has presented this book as a novel, it is a novel based on the very true real life experiences of Isaac Gochman, a 16 year old Jewish boy from the town of Rovno in what was then a part of Poland (now part of Ukraine).
In the first chapter, as war reaches his hometown, the reader sees Isaac watching and waiting with his family to see what will happen and how their lives will be affected. Isaac and his family hear of people being relocated but initially just stay in their home trying to be invisible. When their turn arrives they pack up their allotted 6 kg. of belongings and head off on a march to what they expect will be relocation - perhaps in some type of work camp. This is not what happens, and as I read and understood what the fate of Isaac and his family was to be, I was sickened. The author's description of the events which occurred was vivid and I had to put the book down for the day. This seemed all to timely a reminder of what can happen when men (and women) choose to hate individuals of another race or religion.
Isaac however, was a survivor and this book tells the tell of how he survived for months in the woods on his own, eventually joining a partisan group and learning how to become a demolition expert. The reader learns of his love for a nurse and the tragic events that led to their parting.
Isaac did survive the war and ultimately found himself living in the United States. His experiences during the war were shared with the author some thirty years ago and form the basis for this tale. In the author's note at the end of the book the reader can see a picture of Isaac and also a picture of the partisan group that he served with. It takes a very special person to survive all the trauma which Isaac faced during the war years.
My thanks go to Robert Karmon for putting Isaac's story to paper and sharing it with the world. It is a book that needs to be read so that new generations can learn from the mistakes of the past. The author told the story in a way that held my attention and kept me reading. I would have loved a map so I could have understood a little better where this all took place, but for much of the time Isaac didn't really know where he was either. There are descriptions in this story that will bother some, but they are an important part of the truth of what took place. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the Holocaust, partisans, World War 2 and even for those in high school who need to understand the past to improve the present....more
This book of short stories was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Better known for her children's books, these short stories This book of short stories was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Better known for her children's books, these short stories show that she can write equally well for adults. The stories are all quite different but show different aspects of Indian culture.
The book consists of 12 stories of varying lengths and each story is a stand-alone so the book need not be read in one sitting but can be put down and picked up to enjoy again later.
The title story, A Tapestry of Tears, was particularly moving to me. The author did not intend it to be a factual story but based it on what were cultural norms in some parts of the world at that time and set it in India as that is the culture she is most familiar with. Set in the early 19th century, it tells the story of a young Indian couple who come from a privileged background. They lived in a time where baby boys were valued over baby girls and it was the custom to practice the kurimaar tradition in which the mother of a newborn girl must administer the sap of the aak plant to her daughter to cause her death. The elders of the family believed that "Traditions are meant to safeguard our power and prestige". The young couple who were the main characters in this story, Kuldeep and Veeran were against the continuation of the tradition, but when their first child was born and it was a girl, Kuldeep's mother took matters into her own hands causing Veeran to sink into the depths of depression. How she recovered and what that led to for their community as a whole tells "the rest of the story". As a mother, I could not imagine how a woman could go through this and survive mentally and yet in my experience as a nurse who worked in the field of sexual health for many years I know that in some cultures, gender choice is still important and at times considered to be reason for an abortion.
No Other Way - the next story in the collection goes in a different direction. Set in modern times, it deals with the dilemma that many of us face as our parents and other relatives age. When can they no longer care for themselves? When is it time to move to a place that offers more care and do they make that choice on their own or do we make it for them. How difficult is this and what are the consequences? As one who has personally been put in this position more than once, I found the story really spoke to me and left me with much to think about.
The third story is a love story - not one of romance, but one of a love that cares more for the other than for oneself. t made me as a reader stop and take a look at my own relationships.
Another story that really piqued my interest was the story "Division Into Two" which told of how India and Pakistan became separate countries and the effect that this had on individual families. Told through the voice of a woman on one side and her nephew on the other, I learned once again of the damage that religion and politics can put on the lives of innocents. This is a history that I did not learn in school.
Each of the short stories made me look at things in a different way. This book is well worth picking up and taking your time with. You won't regret it....more
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading Hunt for the Horseman and as another reviewer has mentioned, found itI was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading Hunt for the Horseman and as another reviewer has mentioned, found it reminiscent in style to some of the adventure books that I had read and loved as a child. I think it would be of particular interest to youth in the 10-14 age range although I certainly found it enjoyable as an adult too.
Although early in the book we meet one young girl who is a reluctant visitor to her family's ancestral home for a family reunion, the book is really about the family as a whole with the focus on the younger members of the family. Their home is at risk to being taken over by unscrupulous people who would not hesitate to cause harm to get their way. A missing document is crucial to the family retaining the ancestral grounds and there is also the story of a missing huntsman, hidden by a deceased family member somewhere on the property. The property (more of a castle) has hidden compartments in many of the rooms and the children organize a search to see if they can find the horseman. Along the way there are some twists and turns and dangerous moments.
The characters in this book are of Indian origin so the reader has the opportunity to find out a little bit about the Indian culture. I really appreciated that the author put in explanations of terms that were unfamiliar to me (for example the types of foods that they might be eating). The one thing that might have made reading a little easier for me would have been a character list at the outset of the book. Because the names of the characters reflect the culture (which I am not familiar with) I found myself at times struggling to remember who was who within the story. This did not hinder my enjoyment, just slowed me down a little....more
I really enjoyed this book of short stories about a boy (Navyot) and his parrot friend Rangeela. Rangeela is not your ordinary parrot but has the abilI really enjoyed this book of short stories about a boy (Navyot) and his parrot friend Rangeela. Rangeela is not your ordinary parrot but has the ability to think independently and talk so that Navyot can communicate with him. Together they experience various adventures that reminded me a little of the Enid Blyton stories of the "Adventure" series. These stories seem particularly aimed for children old enough to enjoy an ongoing series with the same characters. Each individual story is of a good length for a bedtime story.
Navyot lives with his grandfather and with his cousin Nimi (a girl) who has been living there longer than Navyot. They don't get along very well together and I am hoping that in future stories we will see some improvement in their relationship. This was the one drawback to the stories for me as I like to see girls portrayed in a more positive light.
I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review....more
I was very pleased to be given a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. I had already purchased, read and enjoyed A.L. Sowards earlier tI was very pleased to be given a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. I had already purchased, read and enjoyed A.L. Sowards earlier trilogy set in World War Two and was excited to read another book set in the Great War Era.
One thing that I found particularly interesting was that one of the main characters, Julian Olivier (also known as the Spider) was a French "poilu" Almost all Great War novels that I have read have been written from the viewpoint of someone from Britain, USA or Canada, so it was nice to see a book that focused on someone in the French army. The main heroine was also a native French woman. She became known as "the Sparrow".
From reading , it is clear that A.L. has done her research well and incorporates it smoothly into the storyline of the book. There is a map which was clear and easy to read even on my kindle, and there was a word list at the beginning to help readers understand various words that might be difficult or unfamiliar. I did have a small problem with this on my Kindle as I couldn't read it when holding my Kindle like a book and had to hold the Kindle horizontally. I don't know if this issue is something unique to my older Kindle or something others have experienced too. The cover art is excellent and made me want to know more about what the book was about.
Battle descriptions in the earlier part of the story gave me a real feel for the horror that these soldiers faced and how difficult it must have been to see comrades dying all about one, be injured and then know you are being sent out to face the same situation. Julian Olivier had another option because his background with one parent French and one from Alsace-Lorraine, meant that he could pass easily as a German. He chose to act as a spy in Germany as away to escape further trench warfare.
Evette on the other hand, came from a background where she faced physical and verbal abuse. A chance encounter with an unknown soldier (Julian) left her with the means to escape her own personal hell and forge a new life. Her powers of observation and ability to slip around without being seen made her a good fit for the spy industry too.
These two, along with several other key characters, made for a very intriguing story with some really unexpected twists and turns along the way. I did not discover until the afterword that these two also had a link to the earlier trilogy.
A.l. Sowards writes books with characters of strong moral values and faith. That is present in this novel too but perhaps to a lesser extent than what was in the earlier trilogy. The book is clean and suitable for young adult readers as well as any interested in a good spy story set in WW1....more
I was very pleased to be asked once again to read and review an advanced copy of one of the books in the Honour, Love & Courage series by Marlow KellyI was very pleased to be asked once again to read and review an advanced copy of one of the books in the Honour, Love & Courage series by Marlow Kelly. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
Each of the novella’s in this series is a stand-alone read and they are only connected in that they describe the stories of strong woman. The third and final novella, A Woman of Courage, is set in Ireland in the year 810 AD. The cover of the book is the best cover yet of this series and as soon as I saw it I wanted to get started on reading the novella. The female pictured on the cover looks positively fierce!
Kelly began this novella by giving the reader some background information about early Irish history, culture , Celtic Christianity and the roles that women might play. She included information on marriage and divorce in that time period and having this information upfront made the context of the story easier to grasp.
Fianne Byrne, the woman of courage was a leader of her clan. She had been married, had given birth to a son and then was divorced by her husband who later took charge of raising their son. As the story begins, Fianna has survived an attack on her clan by Vikings, and as one of very few survivors, has managed , despite her wounds, to make it to the gates of her ex-husbands fort. She has no idea how she will be received and whether help will be forthcoming for the other survivors of her clan.
Connell O’Neill, the King of the O’Neill clan, has always regretted letting his wife go. He chose to divorce her because he thought it best for her safety, but she was completely unaware of his reasoning. Little did she know (or any of the members of his clan) that he was still in love with her. Her arrival gives him a second chance, but he has to persuade her and also the other members of his own clan. Fianna has always believed that her “lust” for her husband turned her into a woman unworthy of being his wife.
Their marriage had been twelve years earlier and had lasted only three months. Connell is only 31 as the story begins. Fianna has come to him, not just to seek help for her people, but also out of fear that the Vikings will attack here next and perhaps kill her son. This is actually a non-issue as he has been sent elsewhere for awhile. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her to give up her son born after the divorce. Regardless, she wants to warn his people of what may come so they can be prepared and then she wants to go back and take care of any survivors, helping them to find food and shelter.
For both characters, this event has allowed them to start over, but trust needs to be regained before they can move forward emotionally. Connell does his best tot ake care of her physical wounds and hunger, but at the first opportunity, Fianna is off and away with one of Connell’s horses, trying to get back to her people. Connell is soon off after her with five of his men and his horrified at the damage he sees at her fort Rathtrean.
I have to say that I loved the physical descriptions of where they both lived. I have visited Ireland and seen some of the remains of ring forts and it was fascinating to read a story set in one of them. The descriptions of the battle are horrifying as is the thought that young children were taken as slaves. As she tells Connell what happened as best she can remember it, they begin to connect once again. He believes her and is impressed with how some of her people managed to survive. Together with the survivors, they had back to Duncarraig, home of the O’Neills. It isn’t long before Fianna and Connell connect on the physical level once again. This didn’t seem unreasonable given that at times of trauma connecting through sexual interaction can be life affirming, but sex without love can also affect self-esteem and past history between these two leaves Fianna feeling insecure and ready to run once again.
I don’t want to spoil the ending for readers so suffice it to say, Fianna has a chance to prove herself and her strength and courage. Connell has an opportunity to explain his past actions and seek forgiveness. The story has a happy ending.
I still believe that Marlow Kelly needs to write full-length novels. Although I really enjoyed this story, I would have loved to have more and to learn more about other characters in the story, including their son.
This was a quick read, with very few typographical errors and easily matches up to the other two novella’s in the series. I definitely recommend it. 5 stars ...more
I was given this book by the author to read in exchange for an honest review, and the opinions included are my own. I read two different editions of iI was given this book by the author to read in exchange for an honest review, and the opinions included are my own. I read two different editions of it - the second of which included changes at the advice of reviewers. My review is based on the second edition.
I had the opportunity to read this book to my 4 year old grand-daughter. The ant Noira as main character was a hit with her as (like many children) she has had an opportunity to watch ants, even seeing an ant farm at her local nature museum. The ant is talented, but a thief. Some people might not feel that this is a suitable subject for the very young, but many children do go through a stage where they try stealing and I think it is a good thing to discuss and point out the consequences to them starting when very young. This book certainly allows for that discussion to take place. Noira also told lies and learned the consequences of that too. It took some bees to help her see how hurtful her actions had been and turn over a new leaf.
The art work was very bright and interesting and, much to my pleasure - the words were on the same page as the pictures. This makes for a much more captivating experience for the child (and for the adult too!)
This makes a very good book to read aloud to a child, perhaps less for bedtime than for a time when you can talk about some of the actions Noira took throughout the story.
I was asked to read this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I waited until I could read it to my 4 year old grand-daughter to get heI was asked to read this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I waited until I could read it to my 4 year old grand-daughter to get her opinion on the story. The hardest part about kindle books for young children is that the story and the picture are not together and I found this made it a little harder to keep my grand-daughter's attention. I don't think this problem would exist in a hard copy of the book. I also had difficulty with a page right at the very beginning of the book where each line was written in a different colour. I found these visually more difficult to process but admit, I have some eye issues which may complicate my reading.
The name Bala-Gala is intriguing and trips off the tongue. My grand-daughter seemed to like it. Bala-Gala has the ability to change his physical form whenever it suits him and in the pages of the book we get to see him experience life as a deer, a tiger,a dinosaur, a dragon and..... (you'll have to read it to find out what else he becomes!)He is brave, and uses his ability to scare off the dangerous crocodile Brammy-Gommy, as well as to help his friends escape danger too.
The illustrations are very simplistic as though done by a young artist. They are colourful and match well with the story being told. A little twist at the end of the book catches the reader by surprise. My grand-daughter enjoyed the story but didn't immediately ask me to read it to her again.A few of the words needed a little explaining for her. I think a few more reads and time for discussion would make the story even better for her....more
4.5 stars I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I am a big fan of Time Travel books so I was happy to have a chance to4.5 stars I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I am a big fan of Time Travel books so I was happy to have a chance to read this book geared towards young adults (although I am in no way a young adult.)First of all, kudo's to the artist who designed the book cover. It really captured my attention and made me want to get started on reading the book.
The story begins when William is eight years old and reveling in the stories his father tells him about dragons and adventures aboard a sailing ship. He enjoys practicing self defense techniques taught to him by his father too but never realizes that these stories are really true.One day he witnesses his father and uncle attempting to burn a scroll. After they leave he digs through the ashes and the scroll reappears, untouched by fire and showing pictures that look awfully similar to his parents.
Fast forward to when William is 14 and at that teenage stage where he questions all the decisions his parents make. The scroll magically reappears and almost before we know it, William is on the back of his father's horse (strictly against the rules)and flying off to who knows where.He discovers himself in another land and is quickly in danger with dragons out to get him. You'll have to read the book to find out all that happens next.
This story has magic, drama, new relationships, questions answered,self-sacrifice and opportunities for William to show what an upright person he is in the process of becoming.My one qualm with the book is that I found the ending came very abruptly. As a novella, I know that space is limited, but I would have liked a little more time spent on the ending.
This is the first book in the Time Runner series.I would like to learn more about William and Trea (a young girl he met in the alternate world he visited), but I gather the next book focuses on two new characters who I believe are cousins of William.This book would likely be of special interest to younger teens who enjoy fantasy and magic. The language is clean and although there is violence, it is not particularly graphic....more
I was given a copy of this book by the author to read in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the Honour, Love and Coura4.5 stars
I was given a copy of this book by the author to read in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the Honour, Love and Courage series and as with the first book A Woman of Honour, this one is novella length.
The timing of receiving this book was interesting for me as another book I was currently reading was a factual book about sex trafficking, so the beginning of this novella was quite a shock for me. Set in Victorian England 1858, the heroine, Lady Annabel Peters, was forced into marriage and now was being pimped out by her husband to a man she had never met under threat of serious consequences. My initial reaction was to be extremely upset by this as it seemed to be a clear-cut case of sexual slavery. That is certainly what was intended by her husband, who was attempting to use her body to settle gambling debts. James, the man she was to sleep with turned out to be completely different from what she had expected and initially had no intent to sleep with her at all rather wanting to use her to incriminate her husband.
Annabel and James had an almost instant appeal for each other and they did end up making love because Annabel pushed it being afraid of what her husband would do if she failed to appease his debt. She was shocked to discover that in James she had an ally willing to help her escape her current desperate situation and rescue her daughter from a prior marriage. How they managed to achieve all of this made for an interesting and engaging read. The reader will also meet James’s brother Nicholas who is a private detective and he was such an interesting character that I hope he will some day have his own story.
This story ended with a new beginning and I would have loved it if the author had continued the story so we could learn more about Annabel and James. I will certainly look forward to reading any full-length novels she eventually publishes.
There were minor areas that could have been clarified just a bit, but on the whole this was a great quick read and I will look forward to more in the series.
J.L. Witterick sent me a signed copy of this book, showing appreciation for my positive feedback on her historical novel "My Mother's Secret". She didJ.L. Witterick sent me a signed copy of this book, showing appreciation for my positive feedback on her historical novel "My Mother's Secret". She did not ask that I review this book. First off, I would like to say that the last 14 months or so of my life have been filled with challenges and at times it has been hard to keep my spirits up. This book arrived at a good time for me and was an unexpected pleasure. It is a very quick read if you sit down and do it all at once, so I chose to pick it up and put it down as needed when I felt I needed an attitude adjustment. For example here is one that applied to me just today.
"Lose something and then find it again? It's actually a Good thing (next page) It makes you appreciate it more than before.
I clean my ring and forget to put it back on. It is wrapped in a tissue and could have easily been thrown out.Boy does that ring look more beautiful than I remember when I find it!"
Not all the pages will be applicable to everyone but they can still be a reminder to look for the silver lining in everything that happens! The book is also filled with little pictures of rainbows. How could I help but smile?...more
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I confess that I am fascinated by the Second World War, in part becauseI received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I confess that I am fascinated by the Second World War, in part because my father and various uncles served as members of the Canadian forces and their experiences impacted me as I was growing up. As such, this book was of great fascination to me.
This book was a relatively quick read that would be of interest to those who might not have much background in the events of the war or those who know the broad details but want the day to day understanding of how lives were affected by things like bombing raids. James Lingard has meticulously researched and presented the timeline of events for the war, but where this book really shines as far as I am concerned is in the sharing of his own family’s experiences as they were personally impacted. Though only a young boy when the war began, his life was affected in multiple ways and his family was at one point thought killed as their air raid shelter was destroyed. In actual fact they had gone out to the woods for an outing, which ultimately saved their lives!
Another enjoyable part of the book was the quotes Lingard used at the beginning of each chapter. Many of these quotes were taken from speeches by Churchill or other prominent men of the time and they add to the general picture and emotions of the period.
I would recommend this book to individuals ranging from young adults through to seniors and on Goodreads to those in the History Book Club and the World War 2 Group. ...more
I received this book as a free e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Dearie The Deer is a short chapter book which could be read inI received this book as a free e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Dearie The Deer is a short chapter book which could be read independently by a reader about age 8-10 or could be read to a child a little younger so the adult reader could help explain and discuss concepts or words which might not be familiar. There are occasional small black silhouette pictures interspersed into the story of Dearie, a young deer who is afraid of everything around him.I think the story would be more interesting to young readers if there had been an increased use of pictures.
The story itself can be considered an inspirational one. From the time of his birth, Dearie has been considered weak and frail and in need of extra care from the herd. Although he grows physically strong, his fear puts him in danger and also endangers the herd as a whole. The Wise Old Doe suggests that Dearie be left on his own so he can learn to face his fears and survive. The rest of the story tells the reader how Dearie learns to cope. For a child dealing with fears and worries, this story encourages recognizing the strengths you have and using them.
Included in the kindle version are summaries of other books by the author....more
I received this ebook as a free gift from the author to read and review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This ebook is listed on Amazon asI received this ebook as a free gift from the author to read and review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This ebook is listed on Amazon as being The Barrington Quintet Volume I. I am assuming that the author is planning to release each volume to reflect one year of the Great War. This particular volume focuses on the events of 1914 as they relate to Stanley Walker & Jimmy Barrington. Stanley comes from a working class background but has becomes close friends with Jimmy, a member of the elite Barrington family, through school connections.
The story begins at a party at the Barrington Home where we learn that the Barrington family is an extremely large one. I found this section a little overwhelming as I wasn’t clear on who was who and many names were being introduced. I think as part of a series which is to focus on the Barrington’s it would be helpful to have some sort of character list or family tree. It took me a little while to get into the story, but once I did, there were many fascinating parts and it was very clear that the author has researched this time period extensively and knows how to write in such a way that he sets you right there in the time period.
Both Walker and Jimmy Barrington end up trying to train as pilots, mostly through machinations on Jimmy’s part. As it happens, Stanley Walker succeeds brilliantly, while Jimmy doesn’t quite have what it takes and ends up following a different wartime path.
I loved reading the section where Stanley had his first flight. To quote: “Walker knew that he was not the same man he had been just half an hour ago. He had experienced a sort of magic, and that magic had changed him.”
I found myself having to use my kindle dictionary several times to find out what the author was referring to. This is not a bad thing in and of itself but some elements such as “Theosophy” didn’t really have an important part in the story and I felt did not add to the flow of events.
The story alternates between the perspective of the two men and occasionally their paths do cross as the year plays out. The ending to me came very abruptly and I would rather have continued on directly to the next part. All in all, this is well researched and well-written and when all five parts are read together will no doubt be a very moving read. ...more
The author dedicated this book to his Godson in the hope that when he is old enough to understand the message inside it will help guide him toward beiThe author dedicated this book to his Godson in the hope that when he is old enough to understand the message inside it will help guide him toward being a confident and courageous young man. I believe that it will.
Blind Servitude is a 99 page novella which tells the story of Eli, an eleven year old boy, who lives underground with his family and works in very difficult conditions in a mine which produces “Goo” ( My take on this is OIL!). They have lived below ground so long that the memory of what came before is long gone and they work in fear of abuse from the guards and the sound of the “siren” which marks the disappearance of one more person forever.
When Eli starts to lose members of his own family he sets out to find them and learns along the way how to fight against despair and hopelessness.
David Chattaway has chosen to let Eli, narrate much of the story and has done an excellent job giving him an appropriate voice. Drawings by Sarah Boese were interspersed throughout the PDF copy which I read and added greatly to the story for me.
The residents of this underground world would gradually lose their eyesight, developing “milky white eyes” yet their slavery continued until they were incapable of working any further and disappeared (hence the title). How Eli changes this makes for an intriguing story sure to inspire.
I would recommend this book for children of middle elementary school and up as well as for those who are young at heart. I was given a copy of this for review by the author, but the impressions are my honest reaction to reading Blind Servitude. ...more
I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I had previously read his novella “The SingingI was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I had previously read his novella “The Singing Sands” which composes part one of this book and was blown away by it, so I was excited to have a chance to read on with part 2. “ Quietus” which fills the reader in on what happened some months after The Singing Sands had ended.
In “The Singing Sands” we met Jamal, a black teenager whose parents were killed while he was in his bedroom. He had no idea why they were murdered or who the culprit was. Initially, Jamal was forced to live in a temporary residence where he was exposed to further violence. Ultimately, he was sent to live with his god-parents whom he had not seen them in many years. Blending a family always brings trials and this was no different for Jamal and his new family including Mary and Daniel as new siblings. Skin colour played into this as his new family was white. In an attempt to develop family harmony, the family sets off on a camping vacation which quickly turns into the worst nightmare they have ever experienced. You’ll have to read it to find out exactly what happens and how each family member reacts to events. The action is very quick paced and this novella can be easily read in an hour or two. It packs a major punch!
Quietus is set some months after Singing Sands, when the family has returned home and they are struggling individually to get over what has happened to them. Once again I was drawn into the story right away and felt very strongly for each of the characters, hoping they would manage to overcome these events and recover fully. It seemed as if things were beginning to improve when suddenly violence once again blasts into their lives. You will have to read the book to find out exactly what happens but it does relate somehow to Jamal’s past. There were moments as I was reading this that I was so affected I just had to shut my kindle down for a few minutes to catch my breath. I could imagine myself being there and wondering what I would do or how I would react. When the story ended I was left with questions – curious minds want to know!!!
I highly recommend these two stories to those who like fast paced exciting stories. They do include sexual assault and violence and are probably better suited to older teens than younger. I look forward to hearing more from David Chattaway and hopefully getting some of my questions answered! ...more
I was very pleased to receive an advanced copy of Woman of Honour from Marlow Kelly to read and review. The cover was very appealing and it was set inI was very pleased to receive an advanced copy of Woman of Honour from Marlow Kelly to read and review. The cover was very appealing and it was set in Scotland which is always of interest to me. It definitely drew me in right away and was fast paced and well written. Woman of Honour is a novella so it is a fairly quick read.
The story opens with our hero (Duncan Cameron) and heroine sharing a dark dungeon of Dunstaffnage Castle and completely unable to see each other or tell what the other individual looks like. In fact, their acquaintance begins with a fight as neither knows who the other is or whether they can be trusted. When the dust settles, Duncan discovers that the unknown woman he has fought with has been dressed as a boy and has plans to enter a convent. Isabel, (our heroine) does her best to ease Duncan’s headache caused by a head injury and in doing so makes herself more and more appealing to Duncan.
How they escape from their captors and make their way to safety involves lots of twists, turns and surprises. This was a fun read with likeable characters . For those wondering at the spelling of “Honour” in the title, Marlow is Canadian and that’s how we spell honour here.
Although I found the cover very appealing, I’m not really sure that the artist fully understood what Isabel looked like. The cover girl is quite buxom and even with strapping would have had a hard time passing for a boy. I think this is a great job for a debut story and would recommend it to all who enjoy a sweet innocent romance set in the Scotland of yesteryears. ...more
I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for putting an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads.
I have always been a fan I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for putting an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads.
I have always been a fan of books which tell the stories of doctors and nurses, be they fictional or factual and so I was very interested in reading The Reluctant Intern and had placed it on my “to read” list when I was approached by the author and asked to read and review it. The novel is set primarily in the early 70’s but the prologue is set in the present day with Addison Wolfe having a nightmare based on his internship experiences. He wakes up and tells his wife that things were so much simpler back during his internship and she tells him that it’s not the way she remembers it. The rest of the book is focused on what his internship was like.
My background is in nursing, I graduated in the class of ’77 and while I trained in Canada, many of the tales told in this novel could easily have happened here too. The author refers to the belief that the beginning of July is the worst time to enter the hospital (at least a teaching hospital) because there are all newly graduated inexperienced interns in place. From my own experience, there is a lot of truth to this. Long hours and little sleep make life very difficult for doctors in training and so it was for Addison Wolfe.
The Reluctant Intern tells Addison’s story as he moves through his internship year. We learn about M&M conferences where doctors learn from their mistakes (and there are some pretty scary ones). Told from Addison’s point of view, every so often there are comments about things that will come in the future (computers, cat scans) that remind us the story is being told in a retrospective fashion. We learn how Addison tries to juggle a life outside work with the pressures of trying to succeed and stay on the good side of all the different doctors evaluating his work. All of this is told with a good dash of humour.
Although not highly plot driven, there is an underlying story of the relationship with Dr. Ramon Figueroa, his main supervisor and the man who scores all the interns. How they do will have great bearing on their future placement in residency programs and he seems to have strong biases. The author throws some surprises in as the story unfolds.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading medical stories. The further into the book I got, the more intrigued I was. ...more
I was given an e-copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. My back-ground includes many years as a registered nurse and pre-natI was given an e-copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. My back-ground includes many years as a registered nurse and pre-natal instructor. I am also a Granny and my first grandchild came early, though not quite as early as the baby in this book!
The author started the book in such a way that you jump right into Jess’s experience and are right there as it is happening. I was a little surprised at her early description of hand expressing milk while I asking her partner to use a syringe to capture the milk. This didn’t sound very realistic to me as most hospitals have electric pumps handy but my daughter told me that she had express by hand initially into a small bowl and then they used a syringe to capture the small amounts of colostrum produced. Aside from this one little bit of information, everything rang very true for me and made me believe that the author must have gone through a similar experience of delivering early. Her description of the emotions Jess was going through seemed spot on and the family issues described aren’t unlike some that I have heard of from past clients. Jess’s story is told with humour even midst her confusion, difficulty “falling in love” with her daughter, and insecurity in her relationship to the bay’s father. Note - this story is set in the UK and so some of the experiences Jess had might have differed from what happens in North America.
As well as being the story of Jess, her birth and immediate post-partum experiences, this book is the story of how women support each other in such times and how a small town girl (Jess) who hasn’t been exposed to very many viewpoints other than the Catholic one she was raised in, can really have their eyes opened and outlook broadened through the people they come into contact with.
A very enjoyable read, I would recommend this to anyone who has gone through childbirth and lived to tell about it. 4.5 stars. ...more
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